Attention to Judas’ conspiracy and betrayal begins early, and the focus remains on this rather than on other events such as the episode of the moneychangers in the Temple in the period following Jesus’ return to Jerusalem. The events will of course move quickly enough to the Passion, which was obviously considered the core of the cycle of plays as also in narrative accounts such as Love’s Mirror. In the treatment of the role of Judas, there is considerable elaboration of the historical material as found in the gospels. The Northern Passion, for example, is typical in following the biblical linking of Judas’ betrayal to the anointing of Jesus’ feet by Mary Magdalen in the house of Simon, shown only in a missing play that was never entered in the Register containing the pageants in the York cycle. The Conspiracy as it appears in the Register shows signs of considerable rewriting of what would have been a simpler and shorter play in 1415 when the Ordo paginarum was compiled. An indication of this is the appearance of the alliterative line, which is evident throughout and which argues for a later date consistent with other pageants that use this verse form. In this edition, the verse is presented as in the manuscript, where, after a part of the opening speech, each alliterative half-line appears as a separate line on the page. As is the custom in this edition, the second part of each alliterative line is indented here with the first word uncapitalized. Stanzas are of fourteen lines, and, in contrast to Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, contain rhyme.

2regent of rewle. Pilate, the Roman governor of the region, has the task of preventing civil unrest — a common worry too of the authorities in late medieval England. Typically, he is concerned with his dignity, his wisdom, and the loyalty of others, the latter an important quality when viewed in light of Judas’ action in the pageant. His bragging may be compared to Herod’s in the Nativity plays.

14wyscus. Perhaps an error for “vicious,” or made up, in which case it probably means “firm, sure of himself.”

20–21 Pilate’s claim to be of countenance “as bright / as blossome on brere” may be ironic if he was fitted with a mask or provided with a painted face to make him appear ugly, as was usual with evil characters.

25–28 Not an offer to discuss, but a threat that all resistance will be handled severely since “all of youre helpe hanges in my hande” (line 28). Like other tyrants, his great fault is pride.

29ff. The appearance of Caiphas and Anna in Pilate’s court at this point is odd, since in the gospels Judas goes to the chief priests in the Temple. In the pageant the meeting serves to link secular authority with the ecclesiastics, who are presented as unstable and vindictive, worse than Pilate. They are fixed in their interpretation of the law, which they have internalized to the point where to question it would be to “argue with themselves.”

43ain oure warde. Within Pilate’s jurisdiction. York was divided into wards for purposes of governance.

45–46But and his sawe be lawfull . . . to lende. Pilate insists that the allegations against Jesus must be legitimate, though in the end the trial will be a charade and a demonstration of the abuse of power. Pilate makes the point concerning the necessity of a fair trial below at lines 105–07.

72–74 Reference to the overturning of the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple and Jesus’ act of forcibly expelling them along with the animals to be purchased for sacrifices. This was Jesus’ attack on the practices of the Second Temple that was understood as essential to his program of instituting a new law not based on the ritual practices introduced after the Babylonian captivity.

76appostita. Caiphas accuses Jesus of committing perjury (line 75) and now of being an apostate, one who has rejected the truths of his religion in favor of allegedly false opinions. Caiphas wants him to be forced to submit as heretics were made to reject their heretical views in late medieval England. He will ask for the death penalty.

92b–93that makeles . . . full rawe. Pilate’s terminology identifies Jesus as the one who is matchless, which would have been seen as the correct designation. This is part of the author’s strategy to maintain the audience’s sympathy with Jesus. The high priests are guilty of allowing their imagination to be detached from reality. They are governed by their anger, which allows their reasoning faculties to wander idly and maliciously.

99uppon oure Sabbott day / the seke makes he saffe. Jesus works and heals the sick on the Sabbath, and this is not permitted under a strict interpretation of Jewish law. It is a constant complaint during the trial, along with the charge that his sayings are untrue and inconsistent with Second Temple orthodoxy.

110than may we prophite oure pele. Anna claims to have certified the accuracy of the allegations, and here Pilate agrees to advance the charges against Jesus.

127–54 Judas arrives on the scene and explains the connection with the meal at Simon’s house when Mary Magdalen (actually an unnamed woman in the biblical account, but absorbed into the character of Mary Magdalen in late medieval tradition) was allowed to waste expensive ointment on Jesus when it should have been sold and the money given to the poor. But that is not his concern; as the treasurer of the apostles, he would have embezzled his tenth, which he has now lost. In his greed and general attitude as well as his ultimate despair he is related to Cain. Judas has come to make a bargain and thus to have his revenge.

155Do open, porter, the porte. Embedded stage direction. There must be a gate and a porter on hand to guard it.

157–58thou glorand gedlyng . . . growe. The porter (Janitor) provides a description of Judas, who, as in the visual arts, has a face that fails to hide his hostility. The reference to “fals face” (line 161) suggests a mask. The porter is clearly taken aback at the sight of this visitor, and in his next speech accuses him of treason, which of course is accurate. Further descriptive remarks will refer to his appearance as a sign of his disposition. What the audience sees must indeed be “uncomely to kys” (line 200).

163Mars he hath morteysed his mark. Mars, as the god of war, was associated with wrath by the medieval mythographers, and his red color seems be an indicator also of the hue of Judas’ face. Traditionally Judas may have red hair and a beard of the same color, though Mellinkoff reports that the only firm evidence from dramatic records she has found is from Lucerne (Outcasts, 1:150–53). The reference to the “mark” may suggest Cain’s mark, directly opposed to the seal ceremonially given to the children of God as part of the rite of baptism. The point would have been made clearer if, as one must suspect, the character of Judas was presented as an ugly caricature.

188I schall buske to the benke / wher baneres are bright. Embedded stage direction. The bench is the seat of judgment from which Pilate will be expected to issue a verdict. Banners are present during the Trial plays, where they are held by the soldiers; see Pageant 33, lines 160–83, below.

211be noght abayst to byde at the bar. Literally at the bar of justice before Pilate.

215marchaundyse. Jesus becomes a marketable item to be bought and sold. The Meditations had called Judas a “most evil merchant” (p. 325).

229bthirti pens and plete, no more than. The Harleian manuscript of the Northern Passion explains: “oure lord Jhesu was salde / for threty penis plainly talde, / And nowther for les ne for mare” (p. 19).

247fales fende. The manuscript has frende, but Smith (York Plays, p. 227), followed by Beadle, plausibly emends to fende. This line and the ones that follow seem confused.

254aof lande. In context it is hard to see what is meant unless, though questionable, the “lurdayne” is to slip away to another “lande.”

276take ther thi silvere. Embedded stage direction. Oddly, it seems to be Pilate who hands over the money, but he may simply be observing the transaction.

280jocounde and joly I am. So is Judas now, in contrast with his despair later.

287–91 Pilate still insists that the “sotte” Jesus might be “sakles,” and hence he advises restraint in the torment to which he will be put. Nevertheless, this is insufficient to make Pilate a sympathetic character.

The base text for this edition is London, British Library, MS. Add. 35290, called the “Register” in the York civic records and here identified by the abbreviation Reg. Some variations in lineation from the manuscript are not noted here; see RB and Beadle and Meredith’s The York Play: A Facsimile. In most cases the line numbering in the present text is consistent with RB. Lineation of alliterative verse throughout is based on Reg, with line numbering adjusted accordingly to account for half lines. Scribes are identified as follows: Scribe A; Scribe B: main scribe; JC: John Clerke; LH: later scribal hand (unidentified).

PILATUS Undir the ryallest roye of rente and renowne,Now am I regent of rewle this region in reste,Obeye unto bidding bud busshoppis me bowne,And bolde men that in batayll makis brestis to breste.To me betaught is the tent this towre begon towne,For traytoures tyte will I taynte, the trewthe for to triste,The dubbyng of my dingnité may noght be done downe,Nowdir with duke nor dugeperes, my dedis are so dreste.1My desire muste dayly be doneWith thame that are grettest of game,And ther agayne fynde I but fone,Wherfore I schall bettir ther bone.But he that me greves for a grone,Beware, for wyscus I am.Pounce Pilatt of thre partis than is my propir name.I am a perelous prince to prove wher I peere.Emange the philosofers firste ther fanged I my fame,Wherefore I fell to affecte I fynde noght my feere.He schall full bittirly banne that bide schall my blame,If all my blee be as bright as blossome on brere.For sone his liffe shall he lose, or left be for lame,That lowtes noght to me lowly nor liste noght to leere.And thus sen we stande in oure stateAls lordis with all lykyng in lande,Do and late us wete if ye wateOwthir, sirs, of bayle or debate,That nedis for to be handeled full hateSen all of youre helpe hanges in my hande.CAIPHAS Sir, and for to certefie the soth in youre sight,As to you for oure soverayne semely we seke.PILATUS Why, is ther any myscheve that musteres his myghtOr malice thurgh meene menn us musters to meke?ANNA Ya, sir, ther is a ranke swayne whos rule is noght right,For thurgh his romour in this reme hath raysede mekill reke.PILATUS I here wele ye hate hym, youre hartis are on heght,And ellis if I helpe woldeHis harmes for to eke.But why are ye barely thus brathe?Bees rewly, and ray fourth youre reasoune.CAIPHAS Tille us, sir, his lore is full lothe.PILATUS Beware that we wax noght to wrothe.ANNA Why, sir, to skyfte fro his skathWe seke for youre socoure this sesoune.PILATUS And if that wrecche in oure warde have wrought any wrong,Sen we are warned we walde witte and wille or we wende;But and his sawe be lawfull, legge noght to lange,For we schall leve hym if us list with luffe here to lende.I DOCTOR And yf that false faytor youre fortheraunce may fang,Than fele I wele that oure folke mon fayle of a frende.Sir, the strengthe of his steven ay still is so strangeThat but he schortely be schent, he schappe us to schende.2For he kennes folke hym for to callGrete God Son, thus greves us that gome,And sais that he sittande be schallIn high heven, for there is his hall.PILATUS And frendis if that force to hym fall,It semes noght ye schall hym consume.But that hymselfe is the same ye saide schulde descende,Youre seede and you then all for to socoure.CAYPHAS A, softe sir, and sese, For of Criste whan he comes no kynne schall be kenned;But of this caytiffe kynreden we knawe the encrese.He lykens hym to be lyke God, aylastand to lende,To lifte uppe the laby to lose or relesse.PILATUS His maistreys schulde move you, youre mode for to amende.ANNA Nay, for swilke mys fro malice we may noght us meese,For he sais he schall deme us, that dote,And that tille us is dayne or dispite.PILATUS To noye hym nowe is youre noote,But yitt the lawe lyes in my lotte.I DOCTOR And yf ye will witt, sir, ye wotte,That he is wele worthy to wyte.For in oure Temple has he taught by tymes moo than tenneWhere tabillis full of tresoure lay to telle and to tryeOf oure cheffe mony changers; butte, curstely to kenne,He caste tham overe, that caystiffe, and counted noght therby.CAYPHAS Loo, sir, this is a perjurye to prente undir penne,Wherfore make ye that appostita, we praye you, to plye.PILATUS Howe mene ye?CAYPHAS Sir, to mort hym for movyng of men.PILATUS Than schulde we make hym to morne but thurgh youre maistrie.Latte be, sirs, and move that no moreBut what in youre Temple betyde?I MILES We, thare, sir, he skelpte oute of scoreThat stately stode selland ther store.PILATUS Than felte he tham fawte beforeAnd made the cause wele to be kydde.But what taught he that tyme swilk tales as thou telles?I MILES Sir, that oure Tempill is the toure of his troned sire,And thus to prayse in that place oure prophettis compellis,Tille hym that has posté of prince and of empire.And thei make domus Domini that deland thare dwellis,The denn of the derfenes and ofte that thei desire.PILATUS Loo, is he noght a madman that for youre mede melles?Sen ye ymagyn amys, that makeles to myre,Youre rankoure is raykand full rawe.CAYPHAS Nay, nay, sir, we rewle us but right.PILATUS Forsothe, ye ar over cruell to knawe.CAYPHAS Why, sir, for he wolde lose oure laweHartely we hym hate as we awe,And therto schulde ye mayntayne oure myght.For why, uppon oure Sabbott day the seke makes he saffeAnd will noght sesse for oure sawes to synke so in synne.II MILES Sir, he coveres all that comes recoveraunce to crave,But in a schorte contynuaunce that kennes all oure kynne.But he haldis noght oure haly dayes — harde happe myght hym have —And therfore hanged be he and that by the halse.PILATUS A, hoo, sir, nowe, and holde in.For thoff ye gange thus gedy hym gilteles to graveWithouten grounde yow gaynes noght, swilke greffe to begynne.And loke youre leggyng be leleWithowtyn any tryfils to telle.ANNA For certayne owre sawes dare we seele.PILATUS And than may we prophite oure pele.CAYPHAS Sir, bot his fawtes wer fele,We mente noght of hym for to melle.For he pervertis oure pepull that proves his prechyng,And for that poynte ye schulde prese his poosté to paire.II DOCTOR Ya, sir, and also that caytiff he callis hym oure kyng,And for that cause our comons are casten in care.PILATUS And if so be, that borde to bayll will hym bryngAnd make hym boldely to banne the bones that hym bare.For why that wrecche fro oure wretthe schal not wryng,Or ther be wrought on hym wrake.I DOCTOR So wolde we it ware,For so schulde ye susteyne youre seeleAnd myldely have mynde for to meke you.PILATUS Wele witte ye this werke schall be wele,For kende schall that knave be to knele.II DOCTOR And so that oure force he may feele,All samme for the same we beseke you.JUDASIngenti pro injuria, hym Jesus, that Jewe,Unjust unto me, Judas, I juge to be lathe,For at oure soper as we satte, the sothe to purseweWith Symond Luprus full sone, my skiffte come to scathe.Tille hym ther brought one a boyste my bale for to brewe,That baynly to his bare feete to bowe was full braythe.Sho anoynte tham with an oynement that nobill was and newe,But for that werke that sche wrought I wexe woundir wrothe.And this, to discover, was my skill,For of his penys purser was I,And what that me taught was untillThe tente parte that stale I ay still.But nowe for me wantis of my willThat bargayne with bale schall he by.That same oynement, I saide, might same have bene soldeFor silver penys in a sowme thre hundereth, and fyneHave ben departid to poure men as playne pité wolde.But for the poore ne thare parte priked me no peyne,But me tened for the tente parte, the trewthe to beholde,That thirty pens of three hundereth so tyte I schulde tyne.And for I mysse this mony I morne on this molde,Wherfore for to mischeve this maistir of myne,And therfore faste forthe will I flitteThe princes of prestis untillAnd selle hym full sone or that I sitteFor therty pens in a knotte knytte.Thusgatis full wele schall he witteThat of my wretthe wreke me I will.Do open, porter, the porte of this prowde placeThat I may passe to youre princes to prove for youre prowe.JANITOR Go hense, thou glorand gedlyng, God geve thee ille grace.Thy glyfftyng is so grymly thou gars my harte growe.JUDAS Goode sir, be toward this tyme, and tarie noght my trace,For I have tythandis to telle.JANITOR Ya, som tresoune I trowe,For I fele by a figure in youre fals faceIt is but foly to feste affeccioun in you;For Mars he hath morteysed his markEftir all lynes of my lore,And sais ye are wikkid of werkAnd bothe a strange theffe and a stark.JUDAS Sir, thus at my berde and ye berkIt semes it schall sitte yow full sore.JANITOR Say, bittilbrowed bribour, why blowes thou such boste?Full false in thy face in faith can I fynde;Thou arte combered in curstnesse and caris to this coste.To marre men of myght haste thou marked in thy mynde.JUDAS Sir, I mene of no malice but mirthe meve I muste.JANITOR Say, onhanged harlott, I holde thee unhende.Thou lokist like a lurdayne his liffelod hadde loste.Woo schall I wirke thee away but thou wende.JUDAS A, goode sir, take tente to my talkyng this tyde,For tythandis full trew can I telle.JANITOR Say, brethell, I bidde thee abide,Thou chaterist like a churle that can chyde.JUDAS Ya, sir, but and the truthe schulde be tryed,Of myrthe are ther materes I mell.For thurgh my dedis youre dugeperes fro dere may be drawen.JANITOR What, demes thou till oure dukes that doole schulde be dight?JUDAS Nay, sir, so saide I noght;If I be callid to counsaille that cause schall be knawenEmang that comely companye, to clerke and to knyght.JANITOR Byde me here, bewchere, or more blore be blowen,And I schall buske to the benke wher baneres are bright,And saie unto oure sovereynes or seede more be sawenThat swilke a seege as thiselff sewes to ther sight.My lorde nowe, of witte that is well,I come for a cas to be kydde.PILATUS We, speke on, and spare not thi spell.CAYPHAS Ya, and if us mystir te mell,Sen ye bere of bewté the bell,Blythely schall we bowe as ye bidde.JANITOR Sir, withoute this abatyng, ther hoves, as I hope,A hyve helte full of ire, for hasty he is.PILATUS What comes he fore?JANITOR I kenne hym noght, but he is cladde in a cope;He cares with a kene face uncomely to kys.PILATUS Go, gete hym that his greffe we grathely may gropeSo no oppen langage be goyng amys.JANITOR Comes on bylyve to my lorde, and if thee liste to lepe,But uttir so thy langage that thou lette noght thare blys.JUDAS That lorde, sirs, myght susteyne youre seeleThat floure is of fortune and fame.PILATUS Welcome, thy wordis are but wele.CAYPHAS Say, harste thou, knave, can thou not knele?PILATUS Loo, here may men faute in you fele.Late be, sir, youre scornyng, for schame.Bot, bewshere, be noght abayst to byde at the bar.JUDAS Before you, sirs, to be brought abowte have I bene,And allway for youre worschippe.ANNA Say, wotte thou any were?JUDAS Of werke, sir, that hath wretthid you, I wotte what I meene.But I wolde make a marchaundyse youre myscheffe to marre.PILATUS And may you soo?JUDAS Els madde I such maistries to meve.ANNA Than kennes thou of som comberaunce oure charge for to chere?For, cosyne, thou art cruell.JUDAS My cause, sir, is kene,For if ye will bargayne or by,Jesus this tyme will I selle you.I DOCTOR My blissing, sone, have thou forthy.Loo, here is a sporte for to spye.JUDAS And hym dar I hete you in hyeIf ye will be toward I telle you.PILATUS What hytist thou?JUDAS Judas Scariott.PILATUS Thou art a juste manThat will Jesus be justified by oure jugement.But howe gates bought schall he be? Bidde furthe thy bargayne.JUDAS But for a litill betyng to bere fro this bente.PILATUS Now, what schall we pay?JUDAS Sir, thirti pens and plete, no more than.PILATUS Say, ar ye plesid of this price he preces to present?II DOCTOR Ellis contrarie we oure consciens consayve sen we canThat Judas knawes hym culpabill.PILATUS I call you consent,But Judas, a knott for to knytt,Wilte thou to this comenaunt accorde?JUDAS Ya, at a worde.PILATUS Welcome is it.II MILES Take therof, a traytour, tyte.I MILES Now leve, ser, late no man weteHow this losell laykis with his lord.PILATUS Why, dwellis he with that dochard whos dedis has us drovyd?I MILES That hase he done, ser, and dose, no dowte is this day.PILATUS Than wolde we knawe why this knave thus cursidly contryved.II MILES Enquere hym sen ye can best kenne if he contrarie.PILATUS Say, man, to selle thi maistir what mysse hath he moved?JUDAS For of als mekill mony he made me delay;Of you, as I resayve, schall but right be reproved.ANNA I rede noght that ye reken us oure rewle so to ray,For that the fales fende schall thee fang.I MILES When he schall wante of a wraste.I DOCTOR To whome wirke we wittandly wrang.II DOCTOR Tille hym bot ye hastely hang.III DOCTOR Youre langage ye lay oute to lang,But Judas, we trewly thee trast.For truly thou moste lerne us that losell to lache,Or of lande, thurgh a lirte, that lurdayne may lepe.JUDAS I schall you teche a token hym tyte for to takeWher he is thryngand in the thrang, withouten any threpe.I MILES We knawe hym noght.JUDAS Take kepe than that caytiffe to catcheThe whilke that I kisse.II MILES That comes wele thee, corious, I cleepe.But yitt to warne us wisely, allwayes muste ye wacche.Whan thou schall wende forthwith we schall walke a wilde hepe,And therfore besye loke now thou be.JUDAS Yis, yis, a space schall I spie usAls sone as the sonne is sette, as ye see.I MILES Go forthe, for a traytoure ar ye,II MILES Ya, and a wikkid man.I DOCTOR Why, what is he?II DOCTOR A losell, ser, but lewté shuld lye us,He is trappid full of trayne the truthe for to trist.I holde it but folye his faythe for to trowe.PILATUS Abide in my blyssing, and late youre breste,For it is beste for oure bote in bayle for to bowe.And Judas, for oure prophite we praye thee be prest.JUDAS Yitt hadde I noght a peny to purvey for my prowe.PILATUS Thou schalte have delyveraunce, belyve at thi list,So that thou schall have liking oure lordschipp to love.And therfore, Judas, mende thou thy moneAnd take ther thi silvere all same.JUDAS Ya, nowe is my grete greffe overegone.I MILES Be lyght than.JUDAS Yis, latte me allone,For tytte schall that taynte be tone,And therto jocounde and joly I am.PILATUS Judas, to holde thi behest be hende for oure happe,And of us helpe and upholde we hete thee to have.JUDAS I schall bekenne you his corse in care for to clappe.ANNA And more comforte in this case we coveyte not to crave.I MILES Fro we may reche that rekeles, his ribbis schall we rappeAnd make that roy, or we rest, for rennyng to raffe.PILATUS Nay, sirs, all if ye scourge hym ye schende noght his schappe,For if the sotte be saklesUs sittis hym to save.Wherfore when ye go schall to gete hym,Unto his body brew ye no bale.II MILES Oure liste is fro lepyng to lette hym,But in youre sight sownde schall ve sette hym.PILATUS Do flitte nowe forthe till ye fette hym,With solace all same to youre sale.

Attention to Judas’ conspiracy and betrayal begins early, and the focus remains on this rather than on other events such as the episode of the moneychangers in the Temple in the period following Jesus’ return to Jerusalem. The events will of course move quickly enough to the Passion, which was obviously considered the core of the cycle of plays as also in narrative accounts such as Love’s Mirror. In the treatment of the role of Judas, there is considerable elaboration of the historical material as found in the gospels. The Northern Passion, for example, is typical in following the biblical linking of Judas’ betrayal to the anointing of Jesus’ feet by Mary Magdalen in the house of Simon, shown only in a missing play that was never entered in the Register containing the pageants in the York cycle. The Conspiracy as it appears in the Register shows signs of considerable rewriting of what would have been a simpler and shorter play in 1415 when the Ordo paginarum was compiled. An indication of this is the appearance of the alliterative line, which is evident throughout and which argues for a later date consistent with other pageants that use this verse form. In this edition, the verse is presented as in the manuscript, where, after a part of the opening speech, each alliterative half-line appears as a separate line on the page. As is the custom in this edition, the second part of each alliterative line is indented here with the first word uncapitalized. Stanzas are of fourteen lines, and, in contrast to Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, contain rhyme.

2regent of rewle. Pilate, the Roman governor of the region, has the task of preventing civil unrest — a common worry too of the authorities in late medieval England. Typically, he is concerned with his dignity, his wisdom, and the loyalty of others, the latter an important quality when viewed in light of Judas’ action in the pageant. His bragging may be compared to Herod’s in the Nativity plays.

14wyscus. Perhaps an error for “vicious,” or made up, in which case it probably means “firm, sure of himself.”

20–21 Pilate’s claim to be of countenance “as bright / as blossome on brere” may be ironic if he was fitted with a mask or provided with a painted face to make him appear ugly, as was usual with evil characters.

25–28 Not an offer to discuss, but a threat that all resistance will be handled severely since “all of youre helpe hanges in my hande” (line 28). Like other tyrants, his great fault is pride.

29ff. The appearance of Caiphas and Anna in Pilate’s court at this point is odd, since in the gospels Judas goes to the chief priests in the Temple. In the pageant the meeting serves to link secular authority with the ecclesiastics, who are presented as unstable and vindictive, worse than Pilate. They are fixed in their interpretation of the law, which they have internalized to the point where to question it would be to “argue with themselves.”

43ain oure warde. Within Pilate’s jurisdiction. York was divided into wards for purposes of governance.

45–46But and his sawe be lawfull . . . to lende. Pilate insists that the allegations against Jesus must be legitimate, though in the end the trial will be a charade and a demonstration of the abuse of power. Pilate makes the point concerning the necessity of a fair trial below at lines 105–07.

72–74 Reference to the overturning of the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple and Jesus’ act of forcibly expelling them along with the animals to be purchased for sacrifices. This was Jesus’ attack on the practices of the Second Temple that was understood as essential to his program of instituting a new law not based on the ritual practices introduced after the Babylonian captivity.

76appostita. Caiphas accuses Jesus of committing perjury (line 75) and now of being an apostate, one who has rejected the truths of his religion in favor of allegedly false opinions. Caiphas wants him to be forced to submit as heretics were made to reject their heretical views in late medieval England. He will ask for the death penalty.

92b–93that makeles . . . full rawe. Pilate’s terminology identifies Jesus as the one who is matchless, which would have been seen as the correct designation. This is part of the author’s strategy to maintain the audience’s sympathy with Jesus. The high priests are guilty of allowing their imagination to be detached from reality. They are governed by their anger, which allows their reasoning faculties to wander idly and maliciously.

99uppon oure Sabbott day / the seke makes he saffe. Jesus works and heals the sick on the Sabbath, and this is not permitted under a strict interpretation of Jewish law. It is a constant complaint during the trial, along with the charge that his sayings are untrue and inconsistent with Second Temple orthodoxy.

110than may we prophite oure pele. Anna claims to have certified the accuracy of the allegations, and here Pilate agrees to advance the charges against Jesus.

127–54 Judas arrives on the scene and explains the connection with the meal at Simon’s house when Mary Magdalen (actually an unnamed woman in the biblical account, but absorbed into the character of Mary Magdalen in late medieval tradition) was allowed to waste expensive ointment on Jesus when it should have been sold and the money given to the poor. But that is not his concern; as the treasurer of the apostles, he would have embezzled his tenth, which he has now lost. In his greed and general attitude as well as his ultimate despair he is related to Cain. Judas has come to make a bargain and thus to have his revenge.

155Do open, porter, the porte. Embedded stage direction. There must be a gate and a porter on hand to guard it.

157–58thou glorand gedlyng . . . growe. The porter (Janitor) provides a description of Judas, who, as in the visual arts, has a face that fails to hide his hostility. The reference to “fals face” (line 161) suggests a mask. The porter is clearly taken aback at the sight of this visitor, and in his next speech accuses him of treason, which of course is accurate. Further descriptive remarks will refer to his appearance as a sign of his disposition. What the audience sees must indeed be “uncomely to kys” (line 200).

163Mars he hath morteysed his mark. Mars, as the god of war, was associated with wrath by the medieval mythographers, and his red color seems be an indicator also of the hue of Judas’ face. Traditionally Judas may have red hair and a beard of the same color, though Mellinkoff reports that the only firm evidence from dramatic records she has found is from Lucerne (Outcasts, 1:150–53). The reference to the “mark” may suggest Cain’s mark, directly opposed to the seal ceremonially given to the children of God as part of the rite of baptism. The point would have been made clearer if, as one must suspect, the character of Judas was presented as an ugly caricature.

188I schall buske to the benke / wher baneres are bright. Embedded stage direction. The bench is the seat of judgment from which Pilate will be expected to issue a verdict. Banners are present during the Trial plays, where they are held by the soldiers; see Pageant 33, lines 160–83, below.

211be noght abayst to byde at the bar. Literally at the bar of justice before Pilate.

215marchaundyse. Jesus becomes a marketable item to be bought and sold. The Meditations had called Judas a “most evil merchant” (p. 325).

229bthirti pens and plete, no more than. The Harleian manuscript of the Northern Passion explains: “oure lord Jhesu was salde / for threty penis plainly talde, / And nowther for les ne for mare” (p. 19).

247fales fende. The manuscript has frende, but Smith (York Plays, p. 227), followed by Beadle, plausibly emends to fende. This line and the ones that follow seem confused.

254aof lande. In context it is hard to see what is meant unless, though questionable, the “lurdayne” is to slip away to another “lande.”

276take ther thi silvere. Embedded stage direction. Oddly, it seems to be Pilate who hands over the money, but he may simply be observing the transaction.

280jocounde and joly I am. So is Judas now, in contrast with his despair later.

287–91 Pilate still insists that the “sotte” Jesus might be “sakles,” and hence he advises restraint in the torment to which he will be put. Nevertheless, this is insufficient to make Pilate a sympathetic character.

The base text for this edition is London, British Library, MS. Add. 35290, called the “Register” in the York civic records and here identified by the abbreviation Reg. Some variations in lineation from the manuscript are not noted here; see RB and Beadle and Meredith’s The York Play: A Facsimile. In most cases the line numbering in the present text is consistent with RB. Lineation of alliterative verse throughout is based on Reg, with line numbering adjusted accordingly to account for half lines. Scribes are identified as follows: Scribe A; Scribe B: main scribe; JC: John Clerke; LH: later scribal hand (unidentified).

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